1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for delivering material to a remote location and more particularly, to an instrument for endoscopic delivery of a quantity of medicament or material to a remote location within the body.
2. Description of the Related Art
In laparoscopic procedures, surgery is performed through a small incision or entrance wound in the skin with the abdominal cavity expanded by gas insufflation. Laparoscopic procedures generally require that any instrumentation inserted into the body be sealed so that gases do not enter or exit the body through the incision. Further, laparoscopic procedures often require the surgeon to operate on organs or tissues which are far removed from the incision, thereby requiring that any instruments to be used in such procedures be both elongated and narrow.
In open surgery, hemostasis is achieved by using agents such as collagen and cellulose in either a pre-formed pad or a loose powdered form. These hemostatic agents are applied to sites of hemorrhage or bleeding intraoperatively and, due to their thromboplastic nature, cause cessation or reduction of bleeding. A hemostatic collagen paste which may be used in this manner is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,359 to Saferstein et al. These materials are easily applied by hand during open surgery because the site of intended application is readily accessible.
The use of hemostatic agents and other medicaments in laparoscopic surgery poses unique problems due to the limited access to the site of application and the difficulty of passing material to the site via a cannula or trocar. During laparoscopic procedures, materials, such as adhesion barriers, have been delivered to an intended site of application by grasping the material with a micrograsper or other similar instrument, and extending the instrument through a cannula placed in an incision or entrance wound. However, it would be difficult to repetitively deliver a metered quantity of fluid or powdered material in such a manner. Once the material has been introduced into the abdominal cavity, post-insertion manipulation of the material is also extremely difficult.
In addition, because of the difficulty and expense of cleaning and sterilizing surgical instruments between uses, there is an increasing demand for instruments which are disposable after use in a single surgical procedure rather than permanent and reusable. Additionally, instrumentation which requires the use of external power supplies is less efficient for clinical applications.